Wheel of Fortune History Wiki:About
"... home to far more info on the show than any single man should know." The Wheel of Fortune History Wiki is the product of much hard work and research, mostly online. The first attempt at a Wiki began in July 2009, when Daniel Benfield suggested the concept on the Wheel of Fortune Lovers (WOFL) forum, now the Buy A Vowel (BAV) Boards. While the suggestion was met with support, only a portion of Season 26 (2008-09) and small portions of the daytime version were done before the idea was shelved by Daniel due to difficulty compiling the information, a decreased interest by him, and some unfamiliarity with Wiki-based software. In early 2011, on the official Sony Pictures forums, TenPoundHammer (aka "TPH" or "Bobby") linked to a timeline of the nighttime version which was hosted on his Angelfire website. While ambitious and highly informative, the page was far too long for Angelfire and was likely difficult to edit. Daniel sent TPH a private message suggesting it be moved to Wikia, where it could better serve viewers and be more easily edited; the move was made on April 27. As of April 23, 2016, the current administrators are Benfield, TPH, and BryceLozier. Purpose The purpose of the History Wiki is to document the long history of Wheel, which began development in mid-1973 and debuted on January 6, 1975, and features: * Timelines for the daytime and nighttime versions, the former including the show's development period. * Sections dedicated to gameplay elements, puzzle categories, and Wheel layouts (the last compiled by W. Austin Higgins). * A page on the short-lived spinoff Wheel 2000, including a timeline structured like the other two. * Articles on the various board game, video game, and slot machine adaptations. * Biographies of the hosts, hostesses, announcers, staff, and other people closely associated with the series (see Show Personnel for a full list). * A section on the many international adaptations done around the world since 1975. * An article regarding the show's various parodies and "real" appearances in audiovisual fiction. * A page addressing various misconceptions, myths, and rumors over the years (some made by the show itself since the early 1990s). * A page answering some frequently-asked questions about the show. * A list of the daytime footage known to exist (and circulate, after 1985), as a service to collectors and historians. Many pages, especially those on personnel, have been compiled from a myriad of newspaper articles, Variety blurbs, interviews, audio and/or video footage, and personal recollections that are scattered across the internet along with info from books and UCLA/Paley Center listings; many hours of research and manpower have been spent tracking these down, combining scattered info in a coherent manner with references and links where available. Most pages include at least one picture, usually taken from over-the-air broadcast copies (although occasionally publicity shots), to help clarify the subject(s) discussed. If you want to edit, feel free to do so! (Just make sure to see the Manual of Style first. :) On the other hand, if there is something you don't understand, feel free to ask one of the admins. Friends of the History Wiki * Buy A Vowel Boards, a fan forum to discuss Wheel with former, upcoming, and hopeful contestants among its ranks. The users are happy to help those who want to try out for the show or have an upcoming taping, and always enjoy hearing stories of contestants' appearances. Notably, the forum has over 200 Wheel players as members, with total winnings of over $6,000,000. * [http://buyavowel.boards.net/page/compendium Wheel of Fortune Puzzle Compendium], for puzzles spanning the show's history. Frequently updated. * [http://saleofthecentury.wikia.com/wiki/User:UltimaGanon/$ale_of_the_Century_Video_Archive UltimaGanon's Video Archive on the Sale of the Century Wiki] * Game Shows Wiki, with just about every game show you could think of, with pictures galore and even Video Archives galore. Disclaimer The Wheel of Fortune History Wiki is made by fans, for everyone. We are not supported or endorsed by Wheel of Fortune or any entity associated with it (although there is some indication that they know about us). All pictures and quotes used on this Wiki, and all videos linked to by this Wiki, are the property of their original owners. ©1973-2019 Califon Productions/Sony Pictures Television and associated entities. This Wiki also honors the memory of those associated with the show who have passed away: Jack Clark, Bill Carruthers, Steve Kaplan, Merv Griffin, Charlie O'Donnell, Ed Flesh, Curtis Stanton, Mark Corwin, and many others.